One of the smallest and most famous hole-in-the-wall restaurants in a city full of small, famous restaurants! Le Refuge des Fondus is a Parisian must.
PHOTO CONSTANCE DENGFood and friends are of the utmost importance to the French, so a fondue restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy both. With time to talk while the food simmers in the pots and the ability to cook your food to your own liking, a fondue dinner is bound to be a slow meal. But also a really fun one! In Paris, no one does fondue better than Le Refuge des Fondus, a petite place just down the hill from the Montmartre Cathedral.
Le Refuge des Fondus is a tiny, rowdy restaurant with eccentric owners. It is so small that the only two rows of tables are pushed up against opposite walls. To sit on the other side of the table, the owner helped us jump over the table; there is no space to pull the table out and make more room. He then directed us to sit up straight and pushed the table even closer!
There are not many menu options: meat or cheese fondue, or both. The meat fondue offers a bowl of sliced beef cooked in oil, and the cheese fondue consists of small pieces of bread to dip in the melted mix of cheeses. A shared appetizer of small meats, cheeses, and olives is included, as well as a baby bottle full of wine. The French believe this cleanses the palette before a meal. It is the baby bottle of wine that has made the place a favorite with tourists and locals alike. Be aware, however, that one baby bottle is equivalent to three or four glasses!
PHOTO CONSTANCE DENGDessert isn’t included, but costs only a few extra Euros. However, we decided those few extra Euros could be put to better use…namely, for more wine. The fixed fondue menu itself is almost a steal in Paris at 23 Euros a person for both the meat and cheese. It is also not customary to leave a tip in France.
Le Refuge des Fondus is always busy. If you go, make a reservation well in advance and be sure of the number in your party. Arrive together, because the restaurant is small, and the owners do not tolerate missing persons from a reservation. They will give your reservation away if your party is incomplete. Leave a note on the chalkboard wall for future patrons and order some extra baby bottles. Bon appétit!
Article written by Constance Deng.
